Skiving/paring 3-4Oz Aniline Garment Leather?

[glennaycock]

I am practicing making turned edges for straps and trim with some 3-4oz aniline leather. It's too thick, so I need to pare it down a bit, but the problem is that this stuff is soft and stretchy. I was thinking about making a Brockman-style paring jig, but how is this done in the industry?

Thanks in advance!

Glenn

Edited October 17, 2010 by glennaycock

[harnessman]

I am practicing making turned edges for straps and trim with some 3-4oz aniline leather. It's too thick, so I need to pare it down a bit, but the problem is that this stuff is soft and stretchy. I was thinking about making a Brockman-style paring jig, but how is this done in the industry?

Thanks in advance!

Glenn

Hi Glenn

In the boot and bag trades where this is commonly done they have a machine much like a power skiver that shaves the leather to exactly half its thickness and leaves a little step so that the folded edge lays exactly flush with the original thickness of the leather. You can do almost the same thing with a power bell skiver but it is more difficult to get it set just right so the lap disappears. It can be done by hand, but on streatchy thin leather it requires an extraordinarily sharp knife and an incredible amount of patience!

Jim D.

[glennaycock]

Hi Glenn

In the boot and bag trades where this is commonly done they have a machine much like a power skiver that shaves the leather to exactly half its thickness and leaves a little step so that the folded edge lays exactly flush with the original thickness of the leather. You can do almost the same thing with a power bell skiver but it is more difficult to get it set just right so the lap disappears. It can be done by hand, but on streatchy thin leather it requires an extraordinarily sharp knife and an incredible amount of patience!

Jim D.

Thanks, Jim!

I'll have to save my pennies to buy one. I wonder if anyone has had any luck trying to buy wholesale from China/Asia. Looks like they can be had for under $400, but I wonder what shipping costs.

[harnessman]

Thanks, Jim!

I'll have to save my pennies to buy one. I wonder if anyone has had any luck trying to buy wholesale from China/Asia. Looks like they can be had for under $400, but I wonder what shipping costs.

I don't know if you do E-bay but there is one out there right now item #300480383075.

Same machine that I picked up last summer from a local shoe repair company. It works pretty good on upholstery weight leather.

[tonyc1]

I don't know if you do E-bay but there is one out there right now item #300480383075.

Same machine that I picked up last summer from a local shoe repair company. It works pretty good on upholstery weight leather.

So, what is the correct name for this type of skiver?

Tony.

[gtwister09]

Tony,

I believe that is a Model 7 USM Skiving Machine.

Regards,

Ben

[tonyc1]

Tony,

I believe that is a Model 7 USM Skiving Machine.

Regards,

Ben

Many thanks, Ben.

I've never seen one before.

Kind regards, Tony.

[harnessman]

Tony,

I believe that is a Model 7 USM Skiving Machine.

Regards,

Ben

That is what the name plate on mine states as well. Sucker looks like it was put togeather by Rube's younger evil twin. Turn it on and blades whirr, belts flap, gears grumble and spit lubricant everywhere! Feed a piece of leather onto the inocent looking feed drum and it will grab it and whisk the leather and any fingers holding it, into the razor sharp blade! One of the scariest pieces of mechanical equipment I have in the shop and it sits right next to the American Straight needle sewing machine, of about the same vintage, that likes to grab fingers and flick them right under the needle and into the path of the awl which apears like if by magic from the bottom side of the piece being stitched! Fun stuff old leather machinery!

Jim